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New Line has weighed in on The Hobbit, adding doubt that the Warner Bros-financed pictures will shoot in New Zealand even though actors guilds have lifted their boycott. I still think that Peter Jackson is so staked in New Zealand with his sound stages and visual effects operations that he won’t shoot elsewhere, but this is really dragging out. Here is the statement:
Recent reports that the boycott of The Hobbit was lifted by unions a number of days ago and that Warner Bros asked to delay this announcement are false. It was not until last night that we received confirmation of the retractions from SAG, NZ Equity and AFTRA through press reports. We are still awaiting retractions from the other guilds. While we have been attempting to receive an unconditional retraction of the improper Do Not Work Orders for almost a month, NZ Equity/MEAA continued to demand, as a condition of the retractions, that we participate in union negotiations with the independent contractor performers, which negotiations are illegal in the opinion of the New Zealand Attorney General. We have refused to do so, and will continue to refuse to do so. The actions of these unions have caused us substantial damage and disruption and forced us to consider other filming locations for the first time. Alternative locations are still being considered.
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The Hobbit is big business for New Zealand. Peter does want to shoot it there.
Let’s only hope this is posturing and the films will be done in NZ.
In a global production landscape unions and facilities must understand that it is better to have the work at lower fees than no work at all. Just ask the folks in Hollywood how this dynamic has impacted film production here.
I hope it stays in NZ…but?
I don’t understand the public’s perception of this issue. Peter Jackson got his start due to New Zealand and it’s actors…not the other way around. They stood by him through all his independent attempts and now his one of the wealthiest people in the industry. WB has no problem with them still filming in NZ but now Peter and his partner have released a statement in NZ declaring that it’s too late… the damage has been done. That’s the most despicable punishment and fear-mongering I’ve ever witnessed from such a lucky and fortunate individual. Now all the actors in NZ will be ostracized by their country because king Peter’s bullshit statements are republished by every nationalistic paper in that country. All because the actors want the equivalent of Peter’s latte budget in residuals for the work they’ve done. So unfair.
While I agree that THE HOBBIT will probably stay in New Zealand due to Mr. Jackson’s production facilities, I find the behavior of the unions a absolute disgrace.
Like him or not, Peter Jackson has done as much for New Zealand as Steven Spielberg has done for the US.
Now let’s get it over with and make a good movie!
The actual damage was created by both parties in my opinion. I have no concept about PJ’s thoughts about the boycott but I would imagine it’s frustrating. You spend decades of your life building an industry only to be held against the wall because of money. However, It’s not like the studio is some angel in this scenario. It’s no secret that the above the line absolutely abuse the privilege of creating high dollar/art/entertainment. Perhaps not PJ but certainly the execs of said studios. They pay themselves unbelievably well at the expense of the technicians who actually build the film. I think some reflection is required by both parties.
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Once Peter and/or the actors can finance the movies on their own, they will have a say in who gets what piece of the pie, and where the money goes.
Peter is a producer of this movie, he at least has some sway. And considering how long he had to fight to get paid what he was contractually due for the previous films from NL’s previous scumbag CEO’s, I don’t think he’s so much at fault for this one. His whole country and a lot of Tolkien fanbase worldwide is behind him. Minus the 150 or so NZE members who thought this BS would actually do them any good, and even they’re tucking tail and realizing this mess was a truly boneheaded move.
I always thought parts of BC Canada would make for a better looking middle earth anyways. Plus some of the production values from the original movies(minus FX work) doesn’t hold up at all. FYI mike Peter shot “The Lovely Bones” which had lots of Weta FX in the USA. So he will move production if he has to. This is a real embarrassment for New Zealand. They screwed themselves by playing games. Oh well move the production the North America(we could use the jobs) and try for B.C I’m not from there but damn the vistas trump anything found in New Zealand. Don’t movie it to Ireland
come to North America the talent and production teams are way better!
I wonder what % of the budget shooting actually will be. It’s likely that Weta is guaranteed the majority of the VFX and SFX work on the film, and even if it’s still shot somewhere else, the current 15% tax break is all WB will get for the high % that Weta will cost them. So it serves WB to fan the flames to get the tax breaks raised to 20% or more even if they still don’t shoot in NZ. Assuming the shoot stays in NZ, this posturing could also benefit PJ himself – assuming the budget doesn’t get lowered to compensate, they can roll that extra money back into the VFX budget (what isn’t skimmed and/or kicked back of course).
They’re (the unions) are Greedy Wankers!! Whine all you want about the “greedy studio suits” who pay themselves ridiculously well. THEY are at least part of the creative/financial process of actually making a film. The ridiculously well paid union heads pushing this draconian agenda DON’T work at making films. Maybe they did once but now they’re Union paperpushers whose raison d’etre is looking to expand and INCREASE THE UNION DUES BASE, so they can continue to receive their ridiculous salaries. I hope Warners and PJ DO pull up stakes and shoot elsewhere. Without PJ there WOULD NOT be a world class New Zealand film industry (or it would be 1/10th the size) and all those whiney greedy union hardliners would be working in a factory somewhere for a fraction of what they’re making now.
I would point out to “anonymous” that the “ridiculously well paid union heads,” at least here in the states, as pathetic and useless as they currently are, Ken Howard, President of SAG, and Roberta Reardon, President of AFTRA, receive no salary.
The National Executive Directors, David White of SAG, and Kim Hedgpeth of AFTRA make around 400k a year, and boy, they are TOUGH, lemme tell you – you are in SAFE hands if you’re in one of THOSE two unions. SAG is if fantastic shape and AFTRA is totally corrupt – correct, correct, I mean, in going to the MAT for these NZ actors and not being intimidated ONE DAMN BIT by these ever-increasing threats of union busting.
Not on THEIR watch, I’ll tell you that. They got the hell rid of those damn MILITANTS, those darn HARDLINERS, in SAG, and they are currently taking it up the, I mean, KICKING ass in the new contract negotiations, and taking no shit from ANY studio or network fucking SUIT.
And the moon is made of Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!!!!!!!!!!!
This vilification of collective bargaining by actors flies in the face of SAG’s 76 year old “soon-to-be-extinguished-unless-some-people-go-to-jail” history.
This whole thing is preposterous. “We are PREVENTED by New Zealand law to collectively bargain!” with NZ actors looking for a square deal on the “The Hobbit” as opposed to the non-deal they got on The Trilogy.
WTF?
Welcome to the 1930′s New Zealand. It’s called unionism, and as much as the concept of fair and protective contracts from unions with strong negotiators and healthy P&H benefits is turning into, apparently, “being held hostage to greedy unions” I guess it’s settled then, right?
Are you fucking kidding me?
Peter Jackson had to be approached by Viggo Mortensen, at the behest of THESE VERY NZ actors, on the Rings Trilogy, to have Viggo plead with Jackson to give them a decent deal.
Now, THOSE people are being vilified for actually stepping up and having the unmitigated gall to want it in writing? How DARE they approach Sir Peter with such extortionary tactics as asking for a decent deal in writing. The LAWS of New Zealand FORBID such outrage from the peasant actors fortunate enough to be in the PRESENCE of such a visionary genius – THEY should pay HIM!
Wow. Go moderate SAG. Show the world SAG is not to be trifled with. Oh, that’s right, you want to destroy SAG.
Sorry.
And one more thing: if I hear some asshole say the SUITS are the film-makers, NOT the fucking actors who create the, you know, IMAGINARY REALTY you go watch in theaters and on TV, along with the often back-breaking work of crews that regularly work 12,14,16 hour days?
I’ll fucking tell Ken Howard, President of SAG and Roberta Reardon, President of AFTRA to go tell that person what’s what because THOSE two true unionists… they will… boy, howdy, you better… never mind.
Actors in Australia and NZ, producers in Australia and NZ: BOYCOTT NZ EQUITY AND MEAA. If you’re a member of either of these unions, walk into your local office and say, “I am hereby abandoning my membership because you have DESTROYED the local industry and killed future work.” If just 50% of the membership does it, both organisations will crumble, and overseas producers will see that it’s safe to return.
Make 28 October the KILL NZ EQUITY AND MEAA Day.
Do it. Your future is at stake.
Once again, down is up and up is down. The studio execs have steady jobs and fat salaries. Peter Jackson makes millions. Most of the “greedy” actors have no health insurance, no guaranteed benefits, and middle class incomes at best. Yet somehow when they join together to keep from getting steamrolled, to guarantee at least a living from their risky art, they’re the greedy ones???
Right, they should just thank god (a) for the trickle-down crumbs that fall to New Zealand from the incredibly profitable, TAX-FREE studios Jackson presides over, and (b) that he can’t make the Hobbit Chinese so he can shoot in the most “production-friendly” place on Earth.
Get a clue, you idiots. Look at your own paychecks and station in life – and stop drinking the corporate/capitalist Kool-Aid. If we don’t hang together, we shall surely hang separately.
It’s beneficial to be a contractor in NZ because of the higher pay rates, tax benefits, ability to claim expenses etc etc than what you get as an employee. If you want to collectively bargain – become an employee! To collectively bargain as independent contractors is ILLEGAL in NZ and is PRICE FIXING.
And in NZ the major union heads are on big fat pay packets. We have a history of industry in NZ being held to ransom by unionists and kiwis are getting sick of it. We are in the middle of a recession and just this week we have had protest after protest from unionists from 4 different industries wanting more money in an economy that is tanking.
The actors are a minority in this argument – there are thousands of workers who stand to lose their livelihoods if the Hobbit goes overseas due to the actions of a selfish few that are paid more than most in NZ. The irony of this is that the film crews marched a protest against the unionists. NZ is middle earth and PJ has done a lot for this country, our tourism, so many jobs and a lot of money has come via his hard work. Australian unions need to butt out of our country! Also for those who think we are getting ripped off – PJ paid more than SAG rates on LOTR – an walk on actor in LOTR received NZD5000 a week, the SAG rates are NZD3800.
Screw the unions. this isn’t the 20′s. they have little to no power (especially the hack unions like IATSE – what a joke – i have several friends who’ve recently beaten IATSE’s pathetic attempts and union strikes and finished their films with non-union and scab workers). Screw the unions, greedy pricks… I hope WB pulls out of NZ as a statement… if you don’t want film production in your backyard, and you want to rape the financiers and studios, screw you, we’ll shoot somewhere that’s reasonable, and boost their economy, and bring new business for that region, and employ their workers.
Maybe somebody knows the answer to this one – if they move to anywhere in the northern hemisphere, wouldn’t it throw their entire season-adjusted schedule off by 6 months? I would think that finding and building new locations alone would make it impossible to make their timeline. But add in the fact that they’d have to move all the warm-weather exteriors up by months… And I’m pretty sure they weren’t planning on doing a lot of virtual sets for exteriors. Well, maybe now. In which case the backplates can still be shot in NZ…
Without question, Peter Jackson has been instrumental in building a promising new movie industry in New Zealand. He did not, however, do this alone. He did this with artists, artisans, technicians, who worked for below-scale compensation as an investment in projects that were not guaranteed to succeed and make a profit.
This is clearly not the case with THE HOBBIT. It’s financial success is assured. So what, do we suppose, is the motivation for denying the actors, the carpenters, the electricians, the grips, and so on, some progress in their professions, some dignity in their working conditions, and a just share of the profits for their labor?
To those making anti-union comments, please know that to someone like me (an actor), it sounds anti-actor. Anti-worker, in a broader sense. Explain to me why the working people who will, by their labor, bring this movie into existence for you should not be treated like professionals, given reasonable contracts, and paid well for their work?